Astride a Pink Horse by Robert Greer is a thrilling ride steeped in the mystery of the west and its ties to the Cold War and nuclear missiles. Elgin “Cozy” Coseia and Freddie Dames are college buddies who were drafted to major league baseball teams before an accident stopped Cozy’s career very short and they went into business as journalists in Denver. A murder of a former Air Force Master Sergeant Thurmond Giles, a former nuclear-missile maintenance technician, has these boys running the bases faster than they ever did in college baseball, as they play tag with local law enforcement in Wyoming and team up with Major Bernadette Cameron of the Air Force. The back-and-forth investigation has the journalists and Cameron working closer than her superiors want her to be, but a murder and possible national security breach are at the top of all of their agendas.

Greer intricately weaves in the story of the murder with anti-nuclear protesters from the 50s and 70s, a WWII Japanese-American internment camp survivor, and a hospital equipment transporter into the story in a way that keeps readers guessing as to how they are all connected to one another and possibly the murder. Giles is far from well liked by anyone given his large ego and his womanizing, and navigating civilian and military investigations into not only the security breach at Tango-11 a decommissioned missile silo, but also the murder of Giles.

By: Robert GreerISBN: 978-1-58394-369-4, Pages 352, $23.95, Publication Date: March 27, 2012, Hardcover, Fiction, Published by North Atlantic Books, distributed by Random House

Many novels will gain the attention of the reader with intriguing scenarios and then the page turning begins. Robert Greer is a beloved author because that is exactly what he does in each of his books. Best known for his C. J. Floyd mystery novels he develops a trio of new characters in “Astride A Pink Horse” which his audience is sure to accept as his new series.

A naked body discovered hanging upside down inside a nuclear missile silo’s personnel access tube in Wyoming sets off the action and a remarkable chain of events. Bernadette Cameron, Elgin “Cozy” Coseia, and Frederick “Freddy” Dames are from different lifestyles, but their lives entwine due to the seriousness of this escapade. Joining forces, they break the rules, demonstrate superb analytical skills, and generally buck the establishment in their quest to find the truth of who killed a retired Air Force master sergeant and nuclear missile maintenance technician.

National security is often on the minds of our fellow citizens, especially after 9/11. When a breach of an abandoned missile site occurs, the Air Force has the responsibility to discover who did it and why? Arms reduction closed many silos throughout the country, but there remain many active ones and the intrusion into even an abandoned one is a cause for alarm because of the sensitive nature of what is there.

Robert Greer demonstrates an excellent knowledge of the workings of the Air Force, national defense, and the relationship between local law enforcement and the military. Each branch has a definition of responsibilities and clearly stepping toes over that line of demarcation is a no – no! Yet, Bernadette, Cozy, and Freddy cavalierly go over that mark! They meet secretly when told not to by higher authorities. They travel to places that are out of bounds, interview witnesses, and involve themselves in dangerous confrontations with the barest hint of authority.

Both Cozy and Freddy are newspaper reporters who are out to scoop the rest of the media on this exciting story. Their newspaper is web only and Freddy is a wealthy entrepreneur who loves to call the action his way. Cozy is a former teammate of Freddy and had an exemplary baseball career until he was injured. Freddy embarrasses the Air Force as he sensationalizes the death by relating it to a hate-crime, as the sergeant was African-American. This gets Bernadette in trouble with her superiors as they believe she may have given confidential information to Cozy and Freddy.

What makes this novel stand out from the rest of the pack is the manner in which Robert Greer encapsulates his dissatisfaction in the treatment of Japanese-Americans in World War II and the interment they suffered at Wyoming’s Heart Mountain. He touches upon the anti-nuclear protest movement, race relations, land use issues for ranchers, and how reporting has changed in the digital age.

This book is a must-read for action fans and one that is eye-opening carrying a 5 star rating. ( )

Professor and doctor by day, mystery writer at night, Denverite Robert Greer has an interesting new stand alone mystery for his many fans. This one stars Elgin "Cozy" Coseia, once a very promising baseball player, now an investigative reporter, and Major Bernadette Cameron, an investigator for the Office of Special Investigations for the Air Force. Starting from different angles, both are looking into the murder of a nuclear technician, which brings out protestors, which seems to lead to another murder. But there may be more than individual murders being planned in the mastermind's final scenario. Banding the two of them together in a high speed adventure among several Western states, this book is a page turner that leaves you hoping that it just might be the start of a new series. ( )

Wikipedia in English

None

▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

Haiku summary

▾Book descriptions

No descriptions found.

▾Library descriptions

Bernadette Cameron, former fighter pilot, and "Cozy" Coseia, reporter, work together along with Cozy's boss to investigate the death of Thurmond Giles. Along the way they match wits with suspects like a right-wing-leaning cattle rancher, a WWII-era Japanese interment camp victim, a lifelong nuclear arms protestor, and a civilian Air Force contractor with a grudge. As the investigation continues, Bernadette and Cozy learn just how much the atomic era's legacy continues to destroy both minds and lives.… (more)